CHICAGO — The NHL’s Player Tour is in its second decade of existence and continues to serve as one of the better ideas the league conceived over the years.

The players get to knock off a multitude of media obligations and preseason interviews for all kinds of platforms in the space of 48 hours in what otherwise would have taken them weeks of appointments.

For us in the media, it’s fish in a barrel.

The best part, though, is that the players are in a great frame of mind. They’re relaxed after a summer off. They’re engaging. The grind of the season hasn’t set in yet.

In other words, it’s the perfect setting and time to get them to talk.

Here’s a sampling of what was said while players dropped by The Athletic stop on the Tour on Thursday and Friday:

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